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What to do?

DD (5 & 1/2 months) is starting to sleep through the night more consistently. Which most people think is great. However, as a working mom, I enjoyed feeding her at night. Our previous schedule was to feed at least 3 times, sometimes 4, between when she went to bed (around 8:00pm) & when she woke up (around 6:00am). Now she seems to be sleeping through all but one feeding.

What do you think of waking her to eat during the night (up to 3 times)? I am thinking of doing because:

A) I'm away from her for 9-10 hours per day, 5 days a week. I want to nurse her as much as humanly possible when we're together to help foster the nursing relationship (it is REALLY important to me that we make it a year).

B) When she eats more at night, she doesn't eat as much during the day. I'm able to pump more than she eats most days which helps the freezer stash grow. When she doesn't eat as much at night, I'm barely able to keep up with her.

C) I'm terribly engorged & in pain by the time she wakes up to feed. I don't want it to effect my supply, so I usually end up pumping too, which I would prefer not to (I'd rather she get it from nursing, not a bottle whenever possible).

D) This one makes me feel selfish, but I miss her. I know it's important to help her learn good sleeping skills, but I hate being away from her all day & love the moments we get to share at night.

Re: What to do?

Oh darlin what a situation! On one hand you get to sleep (YAY) on the other, you don't see DD as much () I totally understand. Although my LO doesnt sleep very well at all, I think I would miss it if he suddenly started to. I don't know if itis a good idea to wake her up, I don't know that it isn't a good idea either, you may be on to something.

Re: What to do?

I totally agree with all your feelings/ideas. (I am the same way with my DD!) Have you given your DCP the Kellymom handout on bottlefeeding? What type of bottle is used? How many oz does she drink and how many times per day?

Re: What to do?

I totally understand! Evan still nurses all night like you mentioned. But the one night he didn't, I missed him terribly! I posted before about it b/c it was due to a stupid pediatrician convincing my dh that a 7 month old SHOULD be sleeping through the night in his own space, blah-blah-blah...and my dh was sold for that one night and fed him himself (until I went crazy over it) (sorry so long..) BUT, I sobbed all the way to work the next day. It was pretty funny that everyone thought I looked like sh*t b/c the baby had kept me up all night! Uh, nope- opposite, I missed him all night! I totally agree with you. We don't get to hold them all day, so why not all night?

Re: What to do?

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I've decided that waking her is the route I'm going to go. I may pay for it in 6 or so months when I wish she was sleeping through the night & is used to waking every few hours! But for now, this is what I feel comfortable with.

She slept for 8 hours Friday night & I just couldn't do it. I was having to get up to pump anyway, so I decided just to get her up to eat on Saturday & Sunday. She truly didn't even wake up that much! But she nursed really well & I felt good about it.